Friday, July 27, 2012

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Dear Morteza:Sorry about that.The way I write can be hard to understand,I think...especially late at night. I ordered"Goodnight, Commander" in the mail, becausethe bookstores where I live don't carry it. Theygenerally don't carry very good picture books,I think...which is disappointing. But it camein the mail, and I read it last night...and Iwas so impressed! You and Amhad area very good match for each other. Youeach create work with honesty and realsubstance, real meaning. I feel like a lotof picture books published in the USA don'tbother with that, and concentrate only on whatwill sell. It felt so good to read a book that hadan important story to tell, with art that really didhelp the reader to feel the story. I'm sure you'vebeen told this before, but your work has a very'sophisticated innocence.' It lets any reader,adult or child, to be the child in the story.We know that we know more than thenarrator, and that makes it sadder,and truer. So I suppose I wrote tothank you and Ahmad for creatinga work of such honesty and intelligence.I felt richer as a person, having read it...whichis how one feels, I think, after experiencing anyquality artwork. I'm working on creating acouple of books right now, myself...andI hope to produce work of the same sortof quality, having something importantto say, sand saying it well. ...Lookingback at this email, I'm not sure if thisis any clearer. I know I can get a littletangled in my sentences, and I hope I'mnot too confusing. Let me know, if I am.I don't mind trying again. Thanks, Matthew.PS. If there are Latin-based languages thatwould be easier, let me know. I'm okaywith Spanish and Italian, but my Frenchis pretty weak.

Dear Morteza:Sorry about that.The way I write can be hard to understand,I think...especially late at night. I ordered"Goodnight, Commander" in the mail, becausethe bookstores where I live don't carry it. Theygenerally don't carry very good picture books,I think...which is disappointing. But it camein the mail, and I read it last night...and Iwas so impressed! You and Amhad area very good match for each other. Youeach create work with honesty and realsubstance, real meaning. I feel like a lotof picture books published in the USA don'tbother with that, and concentrate only on whatwill sell. It felt so good to read a book that hadan important story to tell, with art that really didhelp the reader to feel the story. I'm sure you'vebeen told this before, but your work has a very'sophisticated innocence.' It lets any reader,adult or child, to be the child in the story.We know that we know more than thenarrator, and that makes it sadder,and truer. So I suppose I wrote tothank you and Ahmad for creatinga work of such honesty and intelligence.I felt richer as a person, having read it...whichis how one feels, I think, after experiencing anyquality artwork. I'm working on creating acouple of books right now, myself...andI hope to produce work of the same sortof quality, having something importantto say, sand saying it well. ...Lookingback at this email, I'm not sure if thisis any clearer. I know I can get a littletangled in my sentences, and I hope I'mnot too confusing. Let me know, if I am.I don't mind trying again. Thanks, Matthew.PS. If there are Latin-based languages thatwould be easier, let me know. I'm okaywith Spanish and Italian, but my Frenchis pretty weak.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

XVA Gallery at Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Booth W11

XVA Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in Shanghai Contemporary 2012. Showcasing Morteza Zahedi, Hadieh Shafie and Halim Al-Karim, we will be exhbiting from September 7th-9th in Booth W11.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

XVA Gallery hosted a solo exhibition by Iranian artist Morteza Zahedi ‘Toy Story’. The new body of work comprises a large number of pieces created in a variety of medium – works on paper, bronzes and installation; including neon and found objects.Asked if ‘True Story’ has a political “story” or statement behind it, Morteza told Al Maha “it is far away from politics, it is personal… Too personal & deep!”.

Walking by artworks, you feel it’s a journey of different characteristics, moods expressed in complex tiny pieces of toys. Now I know toys are suppose to bring back child-within but in Morteza works it is different. It’s a complicated universe of million types of people and personalities, composed all together to create life, experiences and memories some are good and others are bad… Morteza’s toys looks within us not the other way around, bringing our current personas not the ones that held and played with ‘toys’!

About Me

Morteza Zahedi Born in Rasht (1978)
Lives and works in Tehran in Iran
Painter,Illustrator and sculptor,
Morteza Zahedi was born on March 31,1978 in Rasht, one of the most charming northern cities of Iran,he Lives and works in Tehran nowadays.He graduated from Graphic School,1995 and B.A in Painting / Graduated from Art and Artitecture College,Tehran,2001 ,his works have been on solo exhibitions in many countries. He is also the fine illustrator of several children’s books that have been translated in more than 5 languages.At the Bologna Book Fair his illustrations have been exhibited in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2009.
He taught illustration at personal studio in Tehran of 2005 till now.
- studiokveta@gmail.com
- morteza.zaahedi@gmail.com
- www.mortezahedi.com